Elastic shoelace with malleable metal tip

Abstract

A shoelace system for an article of footwear may include an elastic shoelace having a metal tip with a rounded-rectangle cross section. Corresponding eyelets of the footwear have a similarly shaped opening. In some examples, the shoelace tip is configured to pass through the opening of the eyelet in only one orientation. In some examples, manufacturing the shoelace includes inserting the lace into a hollow tip and then stamping the tip into the desired shape.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear, comprising:
 an upper having a plurality of eyelets, each of the eyelets having an oblong aperture;   a shoelace including an elastic lace portion having an inelastic tip fastened to each end, wherein each of the tips has an oblong cross section;   wherein the shoelace passes through one or more of the eyelets.   
     
     
         2 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the oblong aperture of the eyelets is configured to allow passage of the oblong tip of the shoelace in a first orientation, and to arrest passage of the tip of the shoelace in a second orientation. 
     
     
         3 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the oblong cross section of the shoelace tip is a rounded rectangle. 
     
     
         4 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the oblong cross section of the shoelace tip is a stadium shape. 
     
     
         5 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the shoelace tip comprises a malleable metal. 
     
     
         6 . The article of footwear of  claim 5 , wherein the shoelace tip comprises a zinc alloy. 
     
     
         7 . The article of footwear of  claim 6 , wherein the zinc alloy is at least 80% zinc. 
     
     
         8 . A shoelace system for an article of footwear, the shoelace system comprising:
 a flat elastic lace terminating at each end in a respective shoelace tip, wherein each of the shoelace tips has an oblong cross section; and   one or more eyelets, each having an oblong aperture formed therethrough, such that the one or more eyelets are configured to receive the shoelace tips.   
     
     
         9 . The shoelace system of  claim 8 , wherein the oblong aperture of the eyelets is configured to allow passage of the oblong tip of the shoelace in a first orientation, and to arrest passage of the tip of the shoelace in a second orientation. 
     
     
         10 . The shoelace system of  claim 8 , wherein the oblong cross-section of the shoelace tip is a rounded rectangle. 
     
     
         11 . The shoelace system of  claim 8 , wherein the oblong cross-section of the shoelace tip is a stadium shape. 
     
     
         12 . The shoelace system of  claim 8 , wherein the shoelace tip comprises a malleable metal. 
     
     
         13 . The shoelace system of  claim 12 , wherein the shoelace tip comprises a zinc alloy. 
     
     
         14 . The shoelace system of  claim 13 , wherein the zinc alloy is at least 80% zinc. 
     
     
         15 . A method of manufacturing shoelaces, the method comprising:
 providing a shoelace tip comprising a malleable material forming a hollow cylinder with an open end and a rounded closed end;   inserting an end portion of an elastic shoelace into the open end of the shoelace tip;   mechanically flattening the shoelace tip with the end portion of the elastic shoelace inside, such that the tip has an oblong cross section and the shoelace is fastened therein.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising wrapping the end portion of the shoelace in tape prior to inserting the end portion into the shoelace tip. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the malleable material comprises a metal. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the metal is a zinc alloy. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the oblong cross section has a rounded-rectangle shape. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising applying a rubberized coating to the shoelace tip.